The Northwest History Network is seeking applications for competitive awards of up to $250 to fund equipment, services, and other one-time needs for history projects. Proposed projects should advance one or more of NHN’s organizational goals:

•  Provide professional support for community partners documenting, preserving, and/or presenting their histories.

•  Facilitate communication and foster collaboration between public and private organizations, educational institutions, libraries, museums, and archives.

•  Protect and increase preservation and access to historical resources and materials.

•  Expand historical education by using non-traditional venues to present public history projects.

•  Use varied strategies and technologies to promote appreciation and understanding of the past.

•  Foster a non-competitive and supportive atmosphere for those committed to public history.

To apply, please respond to the following:

1. Project title or brief description (15 words or less)
2. Contact information for Project Director (individual responsible for managing project and communicating with NHN)
3. Summary of project (200 words or less)
4. Describe how this project relates to NHN’s organizational goals listed above (200 words or less)
5. Amount of funding requested up to $250 and how it will be used

Submit completed proposals to the NHN Project Committee Chair at maija.anderson@gmail.com. Proposals are due May 1, and will be evaluated by the Project Committee and outside reviewers. In June, the Project Committee will recommend projects to the NHN Board for funding. Applicants will be notified of the Board’s decision by early July. Awardees will be asked to write a short summary and report of their project to share with NHN.

In September, we sent out our first Associate Survey. The following summarizes the responses we received:

Microfunding Grants Program: The majority of associates polled were very interested in the microfunding program. We consider the program a success and will continue to offer the grants again next year.

Professional Development Programs: The majority of associates are very interested in professional development programs. Associates also expressed that they would like more consistency with programs. NHN is a volunteer-run organization, and we are currently looking for an associate to chair the Programs Committee and manage upcoming professional development programs as well as additional volunteers to serve on the committee. If you are interested, please contact Morgen Young (morgen.young@gmail.com).

Associate Directory: Over half of respondents are listed in the associate directory. This is a great improvement, but we are aiming for 100%. If you have not already, please send your directory information to Val Ballestrem (portlandhistory@gmail.com)

NHN Listserv: Almost all of the associates surveyed utilize the mailing list. We encourage people to post to the listserv with job postings, news and announcements, historical events, questions, etc.

Additional suggestions: Respondents suggested NHN get more involved in regional activities, participate or coordinate history conferences, and share more information about employment opportunities.

Many thanks to all who participated in the survey. The board will look into the suggestions as we continue to improve NHN and how it can best serve its members.

September 2012 – August 2013

NHN has had a busy year. The following outlines our activities over the past twelve months.

Professional Development Programs

In November, we hosted a panel discussion, “Who Hires Consulting Historians?” It was a follow up to the June program “A Future in Historical Consulting: Is It for You?” It was a panel discussion with four individuals who frequently hire consultants and contractors, including Maija Anderson, Head of Oregon Health & Science University Historical Collections & Archives; Denyse McGriff, Senior Project Manager at Portland Development Commission; Christina Robertson-Gardiner, a planner at City of Oregon City; and Greg Shine, Historian at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. An audio recording of the program is available on our website.

Our next professional development program – a grant writing workshop – is being re-scheduled for early 2014. More information pertaining to this program will be circulated as the date draws closer. 

Download the entire report here (PDF) or read on

Committees

Last September, the NHN board established several new committees to better tackle the many goals of the organization. The Advocacy Committee focuses on issues relating to preserving and enhancing access to historical materials. The Outreach Committee promotes NHN to targeted groups and individuals, including undergraduate and graduate history students, archivists, new professionals, and professionals from fields related public history. The Programs Committee develops and markets programming, such as our professional development programs and socials. The Projects Committee administers our microfunding grants program. The Technology Committee manages our website and social media.

We encourage all Associates to consider joining one or more committees. They are great ways to get better involved with the organization. Each committee will hold a meeting in October to outline goals for the coming year. The respective meeting dates will be announced on the Listserv. If you want to be involved in any of the committees, including planning the dates for the October meetings, please contact me directly. 

Microfunding Grants Program

This year we launched our Microfunding Grants Program, which was first announced in January. We received numerous proposals from across Oregon, Washington, and California. Two projects were supported by the microgrants: Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association’s “Digitizing Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association’s irreplaceable oral history recordings to preserve them for the future” and Hoover-Minthorn House’s “Hoover-Minthorn House Museum Material Culture Analysis.” 

We will continue the microgrants program this coming year. A call for proposals will be announced in January.  

Website

Over the summer, we launched a revamped website. Thanks to our wonderful intern Larissa Ushriya, our  website is now better organized and easier for the Technology Committee to update. We will continue to build upon her work. A large focus for the coming year will be the Associate Directory. We hope if you have not already,  you will consider adding your areas of expertise to the directory. The directory is meant to help Associates network with each other as well as advertise skills and expertise to potential collaborators, clients, and employers. In addition to the website, we continue to maintain our social media presence on Twitter and Facebook.

Summer Gathering

This year’s summer gathering took place in Silverton. NHN Associates and Silverton residents Gus Frederick and Fred Parkinson planned several activities for the group, including a walking tour of the historic downtown, a visit to the Silverton Country Historical Society, and a picnic lunch at the GeerCrest Farm.

In addition to our annual events in the summer and holiday season, we continued the bimonthly tradition of social hours. The next social will be on October 21st, 5:30-6:30 at Township and Range, 2422 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Associates Survey

One of the first tasks for this coming year is a survey to Associates. We encourage all Associates to fill out this short survey, as we work to better serve everyone:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5F5G8HD

Many thanks to our wonderful Associates and volunteer board members who have made this a memorable year for NHN!

Morgen Young

Executive Director